Three floors of studios to look at in first open day

Wakefield’s largest independent studio complex is holding its first ever Open Studio day this Sunday.

The studios which sit on Westgate opposite the HSMC Bank, will be open to the public from 11am to 4pm when they’ll get the chance to talk to more than 25 makers and creatives, see their art first hand and areas in which they work.

Entry is free, and everyone is welcomed to explore the three storey building including the life class room, which will be hosting a pop-up cafe, so visitors can relax and enjoy the exhibition of life drawings set up on easels over a cuppa.

Wakefield Art Studios is a working home to painters, printers, multi-media artists and craftspeople, with many regularly exhibiting around the country.

There is also a new and informal portrait class once a month, alongside the established and popular Thursday night life class.

Barnsley artist Paul Stone has a studio in Westgate.

“We are visited by members of the public at the regular Wakefield Art Walk events, but this is the first time we have thrown open the doors to people,” he said

“We thought Sunday would be a good day to do it because we hope to attract people who might not necessarily have time during the Art Walk events which are during the week.”

Westgate houses an eclectic mix of people and creative skills.

There are a number of artists specialising in still life, landscape painting, portraiture and abstract work.

There is a business creating wood sculptures, another interior design business which specialises in making retro crafts.

And one of the latest to take space is a florist who specialises in sculpural flower designs.